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NBC's Today show announced this morning that Ingrid Law's Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestseller SAVVY will be Al Roker's next Book Club Pick. The TV host and young fans will have a chance to interview the author in the studio during a live show later this summer. SAVVY was published under the joint venture between Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, and Walden Media and will soon be a major motion picture from Walden Media.

Al's Book Club for Kids has become synonymous with outstanding children's literature. The club began in 2007 as a way to get kids to keep reading and not experience the "summer slide". Roker chooses books for kids between the ages of 9-11 and then gives them the opportunity to discuss what they are reading. Past selections have included The Golden Compass, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and The Tale of Despereaux, in addition to other acclaimed titles.

Ingrid Law is thrilled to be part of this growing institution and said, "It's wonderful to have the opportunity to share SAVVY with Al's Book Club. After all, the only 'summer slide' we should aim for in children's reading is the one kids can find in the playgrounds of their imagination."

Lauri Hornik, President and Publisher of Dial Books for Young Readers commented, "Al Roker has such perfect taste! All of our hopes for the fabulous SAVVY have now come true with this exciting news, and we couldn't be happier."

Francis X Flaherty, EVP Publisher of Walden Media is equally enthused and said, "Walden Media has always worked to bring classic stories to a wide audience through our films and publishing division. We are so glad that through Mr. Roker's book club SAVVY can continue in that tradition."

SAVVY (Dial Books for Young Readers/Walden Media; May 2008; ages 8-12) is the story of the Beaumonts, an eclectic family who can move mountains, stir up hurricanes and spark electricity. Each of them possess a "savvy"-- a special power that erupts when they turn thirteen -- and young Mibs Beaumont is celebrating her big birthday in two days. Mibs is eager to blow out her thirteen candles, but more importantly, she can't wait to discover her savvy. When her day arrives, she finds herself on an odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up -- and of others, who also might have a few secrets hidden just beneath their skin.

Ingrid Law is a big fan of words and stories, small towns and big ideas. Born in New York, Ingrid's family moved to Colorado when she was six years old. Now the mother of a teenage daughter, Ingrid still lives in Colorado, where she is hard at work on a sequel to SAVVY. Scumble is scheduled for publication in fall 2010.

Awards for SAVVY include:

    2009 Newbery Honor Book
    An ALA Notable Book for Children 2009
    New York Times Bestseller
    Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award
    A Kirkus Best Children's Book of 2008 (Starred review)
    A Publisher's Weekly Best Book of 2008 (Starred review)
    Booklist "Top Ten First Novels for Youth 2008" (Starred review)
    Booklinks "Lasting Connection 2008"
    #1 Children's Booksense Pick
    Publisher's Weekly Flying Start
    Borders Original Voices Selection
    Association of Booksellers for Children New Voices Pick
    2009-2010 Texas Bluebonnet Master List Choice
    Oprah's Reading List Pick
    New York Public Library "100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing"
    A San Francisco Chronicle Best Fiction Book for Young Readers 2008
    A Kansas City Star Noteworthy Children's Book 2008
    A Chicago Tribune "Book Not to Miss" 2008
    2008 Cuffie Award: "Book We Couldn't Stop Talking About"
    2008 Cuffie Award:  "Favorite Jacket"
    2009 Cybil Award nominee
    2009 Andre Norton Nebula Award Nominee
    2009 Indie Choice Nominee: Best Young Adult Buzz Book
    2009-2010 Virginia Readers' Choice Award Master List
    2010 New York State Reading Assoc. Charlotte Award Suggested Reading List,
         Primary
    2009-2010 Keystone State Reading Assoc. Young Adult Book Award Master List
         (PA)
    2009 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List, Kansas Title
    2009-2010 Maine Student Book Award List
    2009-2010 Black Eyed Susan Book Award Master List (Maryland)
    2009-2010 Rhode Island Children's Book Award Master List
    2009-2010 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List (Vermont)

SOURCE Walden Media

Building on their successful collaboration on the two most recent and highest grossing James Bond adventures in the history of the franchise, Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired the motion picture rights to REMOTE CONTROL, a thriller novel by Mark Burnell, to be produced as a feature film by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli's Eon Productions, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures. Ileen Maisel will join Wilson and Broccoli in producing the project. Burnell will adapt his novel into the screenplay.

In REMOTE CONTROL, a former war correspondent, now British corporate intelligence analyst, gets caught up in a conspiracy by Western corporations to destabilize the Chinese economy. Following the trail to the United States, he discovers that his former lover is also being pursued. On the run together, they try to unravel the mystery of the conspiracy while trying to stay alive.

Remote Control is the second non-Bond property Sony Pictures is developing with Wilson and Broccoli. The studio is also collaborating with the renowned producers on a new adaptation of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG with EON Productions and MGM.

Commenting on the announcement, Belgrad explains, "Our collaboration with Michael and Barbara on CASINO ROYALE and QUANTUM OF SOLACE was extraordinary and special and we all wanted to find another way to work together. Mark Burnell's new novel is an exciting thriller and it's precisely the kind of material that Michael and Barbara will be able to adapt so well."

Wilson and Broccoli added, "We have great respect and a wonderful working relationship with the entire team at Sony Pictures, from Amy, Doug, and Matt's team in production to Jeff Blake's global marketing and distribution groups and look forward to working with them all again."

Remote Control will be overseen at Columbia Pictures by Belgrad and Elizabeth Cantillon.

MICHAEL G WILSON AND BARBARA BROCCOLI produced the hugely successful GOLDENEYE, followed by the blockbuster 007 releases TOMORROW NEVER DIES, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, DIE ANOTHER DAY, CASINO ROYALE and most recently QUANTUM OF SOLACE starring Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko and Mathieu Amalric. With a combined sixty six years of experience working on Bond films, Michael and Barbara took over the family business when their father Albert R. Broccoli retired.

When ILEEN MAISEL opened and ran Paramount Pictures prestigious London office, she had already distinguished herself by acquiring, developing and supervising 1988 Best Picture nominee DANGEROUS LIAISONS (starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, and Michelle Pfeiffer). Ileen has worked as Senior Vice President of European Production for New Line Cinema and this year formed a new international entertainment company: Amber Entertainment with Mark Ordesky, Jane Fleming and Lawrence Elman.

MARK BURNELL is best known for his highly acclaimed series of novels featuring his unique heroine Stephanie Patrick; The Rhythm Section (1999), Chameleon (2001), Gemini (2003) and The Third Woman (2005). In 2005 he was hired by New Line Cinema to adapt Rhythm Section for the big screen. Remote Control is Mark Burnell's fifth novel and the first outside the Stephanie series.

SOURCE Sony Pictures Entertainment

Studio Acquires Worldwide Distribution Rights To Color Force's Film Version Of Suzanne Collins' Best Selling Futuristic Young Adult Novel

Collins To Pen Screenplay Based On First Novel In Her Projected Trilogy

LIONSGATE(R) (NYSE: LGF), the leading next generation studio, announced today that it has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film version of Suzanne Collins' best selling futuristic young adult novel THE HUNGER GAMES. Collins will adapt the screenplay from her novel, the first in a trilogy. Nina Jacobson is producing through her Color Force shingle. The announcement was made by Joe Drake, Lionsgate President, Motion Picture Group, and Co-Chief Operating Officer.

"The Hunger Games" was published by Scholastic last year, and has been singled out for raves by "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer. The trilogy's eagerly anticipated second installment, "Catching Fire," is due out September 1, 2009.

Lionsgate President of Motion Picture Production, Alli Shearmur, will oversee the production for the studio, along with Lionsgate Senior Vice President of Motion Picture Production, Jim Miller.

Said Shearmur, "THE HUNGER GAMES is an incredible property and it is a thrill to bring it home to Lionsgate. This is exactly the kind of movie I came to Lionsgate to make: youthful, exciting, smart and edgy. We are looking forward to working with Nina and Suzanne to create a movie that satisfies audiences' hunger for high-quality entertainment."

Said Jacobson, "I am thrilled to have Lionsgate as a partner in THE HUNGER GAMES. The suspense of THE HUNGER GAMES is heightened by its spirit of moral inquiry, and Suzanne has entrusted Lionsgate and me to bring that moral perspective to the adaptation - a charge we fully intend to honor."

The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Miller and Robert Melnik, Lionsgate Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs; and by Jason Dravis of Monteiro/Rose/Dravis, on behalf of Collins and Color Force.

SYNOPSIS

A dystopic Capitol requires its twelve subjugated districts to pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl who are forced to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. When Katniss Everdeen's little sister is chosen in the lottery, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Although persevering through hardship is commonplace for Katniss, she must start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love in order to win the games and return home.

Since its publication in September 2008, Suzanne Collins's award-winning novel "The Hunger Games" has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for 25 consecutive weeks to date, and rights for 32 foreign-language editions have been licensed. "The Hunger Games" won the 2008-9 Cybils Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction. It was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2008; a 2008 Horn Book Fanfare Book; a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008; a School Library Journal Best Book of 2008; a 2008 Booklist Editors' Choice; a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice; and a Kirkus Best Book of 2008.

SOURCE Lionsgate